he Al-Jazeera networks are backed by the riches of the ruling family of Qatar. The original Doha-based Arabic language channel is known in the Middle East for airing views that are independent of regimes in the region. But after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, some U.S. officials accused Al-Jazeera Arabic of being an arm of al-Qaida for running videotaped statements from Osama bin Laden and his aides.

The visceral reaction among many Americans to the Al-Jazeera brand helps explain why, more than two years after its launch, the 24-hour English-language satellite news channel has been effectively shut out of the world's most important English-language market. In the U.S., it's available in just a few spots, including Toledo, Ohio, and Burlington, Vt. But the TV channel is fighting to get in front of American and Canadian audiences.